<B>Icac investigates on Air Mauritius </B>

The managing director of Air Mauritius, Nirvan Veerasamy, says to be very happy that the Independent Commission against Corruption (Icac) decided to investigate on the allegations of conflict of interest. ?People will finally know the truth as to the rumours with no grounds that are circulating,? he said after the Icac went to the local airline headquarters. Backbenchers of the Social Alliance came forward in Parliament to say that there was a conflict of interests between Nirvan Veerasamy?s post at Air Mauritius and his other companies. Moreover, MP Suren Dayal is reiterating his allegations with a question today in Parliament. While the managing director has always denied the allegations, the PM has kept on showing his support towards his nominee.

<B>Sithanen named as beneficiary of ?secret funds? </B>

The list of personalities that have benefited from the ?secret funds? at Air Mauritius is getting longer. Gérard Tyack said in Court last week that the Finance minister had obtained ?special? allowances of up to Rs 12,500 per month. He asserted he was given instructions by his boss, Sir Harry Tirvengadum, to pay monthly allowances to the latter, to Rama Sithanen and to himself. In 2001, Gérard Tyack mentioned the name of Sithanen saying he had received Rs 600,000 from the ?secret funds? while working at Air Mauritius. But the Minister of Finance has always denied the allegations.

<B>The destitute profit from illegal imports</B>

The initiative deserves respect. The customs intend to offer seven containers of T-shirts to the most vulnerable members of society through the ministry of Social Security. They are waiting for the green light of the ministry of Finance to start the distribution. Thousands of vulnerable people will benefit from this move. The 227,000 T-shirts were seized in 1995 and the retailer did not pay the fine and left his cargo in customs. Likewise, spectacle-frames and ex-designer label shirts ? counterfeited Ralph Lauren ? will also be donated to the vulnerable.

<B>Documents missing... </B>

Some important documents from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) relating to the Vanessa Lagesse murder are reported missing. The director of the FSL, Gaymatree Madhub-Dassyne, has not been able to explain in what circumstances such documents were lost. She however confirmed that the document where the name of the police officer who told her Vanessa Lagesse had been killed with a nylon cord was mentioned. Likewise, she said an email she sent to a British expert stating the same facts has disappeared.